ZCTU Bail Alert 15-05-08

 

ZCTU PRESS RELEASE

SUBJECT: High Court Reserve Judgment on ZCTU Leaders' bail application

A High Court of Zimbabwe judge, Justice Ben Hlatshwayo today reserved judgment to Monday 19 May 2008 in a bail application filed by two leaders of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) who are accused of inciting the people to rise against the government and communicating falsehoods during their May Day celebrations on May 1, 2008.

Justice Hlatshwayo said it was not easy to resolve the case and that he needed time to reflect on the "strong" submissions by both the State and ZCTU lawyers. He said it was time to look at the fine line between, on one hand, the need to protect the liberty of the accused and on the other hand, the protection of public order and safety.

This was after the State strongly opposed bail claiming that both the ZCTU Secretary General and President, Wellington Chibebe and Lovemore Matombo were bound to incite the public if they were let free. The State claimed that the two leaders of the ZCTU had told workers that they should revenge the alleged killing of two teachers at Kondo Primary school, a rural school in Guruve.

The State claimed that their investigations had shown that no teachers were killed, but there were reports of political violence at the School, in which teachers were severely beaten. It said that leaders of the ZCTU should be put behind bars to send a clear message to the would be offenders. The State said the offence was serious and could attract a sentence of up to 20 years.

The State brought to the court a dossier of political motivated cases which it claimed it wanted to link to the ZCTU leaders' speeches. The State prosecutor described the two ZCTU leaders as "instigators and master minders of violence".

By the time the judge makes his decision next Monday, the ZCTU leaders would have spent 12 days in prison. The ZCTU Secretary General, Wellington Chibebe has yesterday missed writing his examinations after the State refused to give him reprieve. He is studying for a Bachelor of Laws Degree with the University of South Africa.

The ZCTU's application to the High Court comes after a Harare Magistrate, had on Monday 12 May 2008, refused to grant Mr Lovemore Matombo and Mr Wellington Chibebe bail claiming that they were not suitable for bail. She had remanded them to May 23, 2008.

The ZCTU leaders are being charged with inciting people to rise against the government and uttering falsehoods after they told workers gathered at Dzivaresekwa Stadium on May 1, 2008 that people were being killed during the current wave of political violence in the country.

The two ZCTU leaders were arrested after they presented themselves to the police on Thursday 8 May 2008 where they were initially interrogated for more than six hours before charges were laid against them. They had availed themselves to the police after armed police had visited their residences searching for them.

The ZCTU is worried by the continued detention of its leaders and an in particular, the particular delays in giving them bail and believe it is a ploy to break their spirits down.

The leaders are current being held at Harare Remand Prison.

Date: 15 May 2008

Last Tarabuku
Acting Information Officer
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
P.O Box 3549
Harare, Zimbabwe

Telephone 263-4-794702/794742
Cell 263 11 620 231
Fax 263-4- 728484
E-mail info@zctu.co.zw
Website www.zctu.co.zw